Fuel pumps



FUEL PUMPS Filed Oct. 16, 1964 Fig.l.

INVENTOR Edward A. Mudej United States Patent" "cc 3,288,080 I FUELPUMPS. Edward A. Madej, 1209 Riverview Drive, Verona, Pa. Filed Oct. 16,1964, Ser. No. 404,402 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-153) This invention relates tofuel pumps and particularly to fuel pumps made of plastic for movingliquid fuel from a storage tank to a place of use as in an automobile.Fuel pumps for moving fuel have long been used in the automotiveindustry for pumping gas from the tank to the carburetor. Such fuelpumps have in the past involved intricate cast parts, diaphragms andactuator levers. The diaphragms, particularly of such pumps, have beensubject to relatively rapid deterioration in the presence of hydrocarbonfuels such as gasoline and have required repeated replacement.

By the present invention, I eliminate the need for diaphragms andexpensive cast metal housings. In a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I provide a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, afirst end member in said cylinder, a cylindrical cap means on thecylinder adjacent the first end member, an internal wall within the capmeans engaging the end member and forming a pair of chambers within thecap, a pair of one way valves in said first end member, one on each sideof the internal wall communicating between the cylinder and thechambers, ports in the cap means communicating between the exterior ofthe cap and each of the chambers within, a second end member on saidcylinder opposite the first end member, actuator means on the pistonadapted to be driven by an external power source and resilient meansurging the piston toward one end of the cylinder. Preferably theresilient means is a spring urging the piston away from the first endmember.

In the foregoing general description, I have set out certain objects,purposes and advantages of my invention. Other objects, purposes andadvantages will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view partly exploded of a fuel pump accordingto my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section through the pump of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view partly exploded of a second embodiment ofa fuel pump according to my invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a section through the pump of FIG- URE 3.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a fuel pump of plastichaving a cylinder 10 carrying a piston 11 movable axially therein. Afirst end member 12 is formed in one end of cylinder 10 and is providedwith openings 13 and 14 on opposite sides of a diametrically extendingU-flange 15 on end member 12. Each of the openings 13 and 14 is providedwith a moving cap 16 and 17 respectively moving to close the openingwith which it is associated when pressure is applied to the cap. An endcap member 18 having an inner dividing wall 19 is fixed to the end ofthe cylinder 10 adjacent the end member 12 with the dividing wall 19engaged within the U-flange 15 and a radial flange 20 on the cap memberengaged within an annular groove 20a on the end of cylinder 10. The wall19 divides the area within the end cap into two separate chambers 21 and22 which open to the exterior of the cap through ports 23 and 24.Resilient means in the form of a spring 25 is provided within housing 26formed integrally with cylinder 10 and alongside thereof. The spring 25bears on one end 27a of a rocker arm 27 pivoted on shaft 28 carriedbetween housing 26 and cylinder 10. The opposite 3,288,080 Patented Nov.29, 1966 end 27b of rocker arm 27 rests between flanges 29 and 30 onguide arm 31 on piston 11, The guide arm 31 moves in opening 32 in thesecond end member 33 closing cylinder 10. An actuator rod 34. bearing ona cam surface 35 on a vehicle cam shaft bears against'end 27a of rockerarm 27 and urges it against the spring 25.

The fuel pump of my invention operates in the following manner. When thecam surface 35 rotates the rod 34 moves toward and away from spring 25.This causes rocker arm 27 to pivot on shaft 28 and the end 27b of rockerarm 27 to move piston 11 in cylinder 10. When the piston 11 moves awayfrom end member 12 the valve cap 16 moves away from opening 13 and'fuelis drawn from a tank (not shown) through lines (not shown') to port 23into chamber 21, through-opening 13 into'cylinder 10. When the pistonmoves toward end member 12 the cap 16 closes opening 13 and forces cap17 away from opening 14 permitting fuel to flow through open. ing 14into chamber 22, through port 24, through lines (not shown) to acarburetor (not shown).

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 I have illustrated anembodiment in which a cylinder 50 is provided with an end member 51carrying a U-shaped diametrically positioned flange 52. A cap member 54with an inner diametrically disposed wall 55 is connected to cylinder 50in the same manner as cylinder 10 engages cap member 18 of FIGURES l and2 forming chambers 56 and 57. Openings 58 and 59 with moving caps 60 and61 connect the interior of cylinder 50 with chambers 56 and 57 in likemanner as openings 13 and 14 of FIGURES 1 and 2. A piston 62 is movableaxially in cylinder 50 on actuator rod 63 which passes through anopening 64a in second end member 64. The actuator rod 63 bears against acam 65 on cam shaft of an engine on which the pump is placed. A spring66 between first end member 51 and piston 62 urges piston 62 away fromend member 51.

The operation of the pump of FIGURES 3 and 4 is as follows. The rod 63is urged toward cam 65 by spring 66 to draw fuel through ports 67 intochamber 56, through opening 58 into cylinder 50. When cam 65 rotates thepiston 62 moves against spring 66 to force fuel out through opening 59into chamber 57-and through port 68 to a carburetor (not shown).

A by-pass pressure relief valve 69 may be inserted in the dividing wall55 to by-pass fluid from the pressure chamber to the intake chamber ofthe pump.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the fuel pump of myinvention is extremely simple, free of diaphragms and other partssubject to deterioration in the presence of fuel and readily formed ofany thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic.

While I have illustrated certain presently preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that this invention may be otherwiseembodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a plastic fuel pump for handling hydrocarbon fuels a cylinder, apiston movable in said cylinder, a first end member in said cylinder, acap means on the cylinder adjacent the first end member, an internalwall within the cap means engaging the first end member and formingtherewith a pair of chambers within the cap member, a pair of one wayvalves in said first end member actuated only by pressure differentialon opposite sides of said first end member, one on each side of saidinternal wall communicating between the cylinder and the chambers,keeper means on said first end member holding said valves for freemovement transverse to the plane of the first end member, ports in thecap means communicating between the exterior and each of the chambers, asecond end member on the cylinder spaced from the first end member,actuator means engaging the piston alternately to move the piston in thecylinder toward the first end member and then release said piston formovement away from said first end member and resilient means urging thepiston away from the first end member. I p j 2. In a plastic fuel pumpfor handling hydrocarbon fuels a cylinder, a piston movable in saidcylinder, 2. first end member in one end of said cylinder, a cap meanson the cylinder adjacent the first end member, -an internal wall withinthe cap means engaging the first end mem ber and forming therewith apair of chambers within the cap member, a pair of one way valves in saidfirst end member actuated only by pressure difierential on oppositesides of said first end member, one on each side of said internal wallcommunicating between the cylinder and the chambers, keeper means onsaid first end member holding said valves for free movement transverseto the plane of the first end member, ports in the cap meanscommunicating between the exterior of the cap and each of the chambers,a second end member on the cylinder spaced from the first end member onthe opposite side of the piston, actuator means on the piston extendingthrough an opening in said second end member alternately to move thepiston in the cylinder toward the first end member and then release saidpiston for movement away from said first end member and resilient meansurging the piston away from the first end member.

3. In a plastic fuel pump for handling hydrocarbon fuels a cylinder, apiston movable in said cylinder, a. first end member inone end of saidcylinder, a cap means on the cylinder adjacent the first end member, aninternal wall within the cap means engaging the first end member andforming therewith a pair of chambers within the cap member, a pair ofone way valves in said first end -member actuated only by pressuredilferential on opposite sides of said first end member, one on eachside of:

said internal wall communicating between the cylinder and the chambers,keeper means on said first end member holding said valves for freemovement transverse to the plane of the first end member, ports in thecap means communicating between the exterior and each of the chambers,,asecond end member on the cylinder spaced,

from the first end member on the opposite side of the piston from thefirst end member, guide means on thev piston adapted to move in anopening in said second end member, actuator means engaging the pistonfor moving the piston axially within the cylinder and resilient meansacting on the actuator means urging the piston toward one end of thecylinder.

4. A fuel pump as, claimed in claim 3 wherein the actuator means is alink pivoted adjacent the cylinder having one end acting on the pistonand the opposite end urged in one direction by said resilient means andadrive rod acting on said opposite end against the urging of theresilient means, said drive rod being adapted to be operated by a sourceof external power.

References Citedby the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 777,828 12/1904Willmann 103-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 846,640 8/1952 Germany.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

' HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner.

1. IN A PLASTIC FUEL PUMP FOR HANDLING HYDROCARBON FUELS A CYLINDER, APISTON MOVABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, A FIRST END MEMBER IN SAID CYLINDER, ACAP MEANS ON THE CYLINDER ADJACENT THE FIRST END MEMBER, AN INTERNALWALL WITHIN THE CAP MEANS ENGAGING THE FIRST END MEMBER AND FORMINGTHEREWITH A PAIR OF CHAMBERS WITHIN THE CAP MEMBER, A PAIR OF ONE WAYVALVES IN SAID FIRST END MEMBER ACTUATED ONLY BY PRESSURE DIFFERENTIALON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FIRST END MEMBER, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAIDINTERNAL WALL COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND THE CHAMBERS,KEEPER MEANS ON SAID FIRST END MEMBER HOLDING SAID VALVES FOR FREEMOVEMENT TRANSVERSE TO THE PLANE OF THE FIRST END MEMBER, PORTS IN THECAP MEANS COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR AND EACH OF THE CHAMBERS, ASECOND END MEMBER ON THE CYLINDER SPACED FROM THE FIRST END MEMBER,ACTUATOR MEANS ENGAGING THE PISTON ALTERNATELY TO MOVE THE PISTON IN THECYLINDER TOWARD THE FIRST END MEMBER AND THEN RELEASE SAID PISTON FORMOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID FIRST END MEMBER AND RESILIENT MEANS URGING THEPISTON AWAY FROM THE FIRST END MEMBER.